A famous comedienne once said, “Great people do things before they are ready. They do things before they know they can do it.” Taking that leap of faith was exactly what current Graduate Fellow Bruce Xu did during his time at Pioneer House (PH), where he stepped forward to serve as Peer Mentor (PM) and Project Director for PH’s Freshmen Orientation Programme 2018.
Juggling multiple leadership roles, studying, graduating, and later enrolling into the NUS Master’s programme–what makes it astonishing is that all these came from someone who had planned to keep his head down and get through school. Participating in residential life was never high on Bruce’s agenda; however the many wonderful friendships he forged inspired him to get more involved in House matters, especially the Peer Mentorship Programme (PMP).
The PMP helps freshmen settle into varsity life by providing a familial and well-supported residential environment, and Bruce as a senior undergraduate saw how crucial the programme was in providing students the support they need to succeed in PH and in the world outside. Together with 42 other PMs, Bruce sought to cement PMP as a key pillar of pastoral care in PH, believing the programme is beneficial to both mentees and mentors like himself.
“Peer mentoring is a great leadership opportunity for students,” he says. “Plus, I’ve had the honour of working with a wonderful team who taught me valuable lessons and given me new perspectives in life.”
There was still much desire to improve on his skills and attributes as a student leader, so Bruce gamely applied for and undertook the role of Project Director. Putting himself out there paid off. As he interacted with a myriad of personalities from diverse backgrounds, it allowed Bruce to understand parts of himself better especially when it comes to the way he works and relates with others.
A self-professed “results-driven and target-oriented” person, his steely focus unexpectedly became a limitation. “I found out that I got too focused on tasks sometimes and might overlook the bigger picture,” he confesses. Now, instead of just charging towards a goal, people and experience have become his priority. This newfound willingness to empathise has, in his own words, been one of the greatest gains from these experiences.
“I hope all of us, mentors, staff and residents alike, can continue to engage and embrace each other. Ultimately at PH, we aim to create an inclusive environment on campus where everyone can live, learn, and love.”
